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Australia defeated India by six wickets in the second Twenty20 International to level the three-match series at one wicket on Sunday night at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The match was a tight affair. After choosing to field, the visitors held India to 130 for 8, eventually smashing the score with one over remaining.
Australia acknowledged that they had to “debrief” after India’s utter dominance in the opening Twenty20 International and devise better preparations for the conditions of the second match. Kim Garth fired Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma in the beginning of it. The Australian pacers benefited from the movement available.
The Indians were unable to score easily even through the middle overs, as Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur found it difficult to get going. Particularly Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham were frugal. After being compelled to play more aggressively, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh scored 33 runs in only 18 balls before the latter was dismissed. India’s attempt to press the attack, though, backfired as they continued to lose wickets quickly, with Sutherland and Wareham each scoring a brace.
Even though Shreyanka Patil tried to use unconventional stroke play, they were ultimately limited to 130 for 8.
Following a cautious beginning, Alyssa Healy unleashed her aggression against Titas Sadhu, hitting two boundaries in the second over. She also persisted in her attack on Shreyanka. Renuka Thakur’s five wides further aided Australia’s cause as they amassed 47 runs in the powerplay.
After hitting two boundaries in her opening seven deliveries, Deepti got Healy to inside edge the ball onto her stumps and then proceeded to stump Beth Mooney with a lofted delivery. Tahlia McGrath and Perry went on the attack against Amanjot Kaur, hitting four boundaries in the two overs bowled by the medium pacer, just as India was trying to manage the scoring rate. In the end, the former fell while trying to reverse sweep Shreyanka, only to glove it to the wicketkeeper. Two overs later, Ash Gardner was caught behind by an outswinging delivery from Pooja Vastrakar.
Pheobe Litchfield’s unconventional move, in form, ended what appeared to be a potential for India to put pressure back on the visitors late in the game. She displayed her full range of strokes, and there were plenty of scoring possibilities because Shreyanka was unable to hold onto the ball. To finish the run chase, Perry, playing in her 300th international match, hit a slogsweep for a six off the final ball of the 19th over.